The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is an extensive complex of islets, shoals and, of course, coral reefs. It is located off of Australia’s northeastern coastline in the Pacific Ocean. The Reef expands over 1,250 miles to the northwest-southeast, at about 10 to 100 miles offshore and is about 135,000 square miles in area. This wonder has been characterized as the biggest structure that living creatures have ever built.
There are actually 2,100 reefs and 800 fringing reefs around the Great Barrier Reef. All of the reefs, however, share a common origin. They have all been formed from the skeletal waste and skeletons of living marine organisms over the course of millions of years. The framework of the reef is formed from tiny creatures’ calcareous remains, which are known as hydro corals and coral polyps. Bryozoans and coralline algae are what hold it all together.
At the Great Barrier Reef, at least 300 different species of hard coral, worms, sponges, anemones, crabs, prawns, crayfish, lobsters, gastropods, and a wide variety of other fish and birds can be found. The crown-of-thorns-starfish is actually the reef’s most destructive animal, with population outbreaks responsible for up to 90% of coral destruction in some reefs.
The Porolithon and Lithothamnion red algae forms most of the characteristic features of the Great Barrier Reef, and Halimeda green algae can be found nearly everywhere. There is not as much plant life on the surface, with only 30 to 40 different species.
Great Barrier Reef
3 Clown FishPhoto by: Leonard Low
A Sea Turtle at Great Barrier ReefPhoto by: Leonard Low
Three Yellow Fish and a Lonely FishPhoto by: Leonard Low
2 Beautiful ClownfishPhoto by: Leonard Low
Alien WaterscapePhoto by: Shayan
School of Yellow TailsPhoto by: Icelight
Sunset at Great Barrier ReefPhoto by: Shayan
Tamarind Trees Near Great Barrier ReefPhoto by: Robandstephanielevy
View of Great Barrier Reef Water from Boeing 737 on the Way to CairnsPhoto by: Shayan
Big FishPhoto by: Tarotastic
Sting Ray Found at Great Barrier Reef Photo by: Leonard Low
Reef SharkPhoto by: Leonard Low
Sting Ray at the bottom of Great Barrier ReefPhoto by: Leonard Low
Moray Eel Photo by: Leonard Low
Lots of Yellow FishPhoto by: Leonard Low
Green Island BeachPhoto by: Corey Leopold
Taken at around 20m underwater... these weird corals were very funny to look at
Scene Near Great Barrier Reef with Nice FlowersPhoto by: Robandstephanielevy
Two Fish at Great Barrier ReefPhoto by: Leonard Low
Sea Turtle Found at the Bottom of Great Barrier ReefPhoto by: Rumpleteaser
So Much FishPhoto by: Ciamabue
I really like the pic.s
wow…!!! lots of cool pictures. but the most i love is, clown fish. great work done by the post.
well i really want to visit the great barriar reef it looks so bright and beautiful that what i would like
woooooow\
i reall ylike the flying fish and the dolphinssssss they are so cute
That was really kool!! But our Barrier reefs r being destroyed. I wish people wouldn’t liter or drive boats or in barrier reefs. the shark is a white tip
i learning about this place i need to know what trees there are in this place
Wow! Amazing. Now I need to get an underwater camera!
I love photographing animals and seen many good shots, but these are just wow! Just Stunningly Beautiful. Id recommend it to beginner photographers to get the feeling of what a good photo looks like.
(my favorite one is of the eel. Must have been a hard picture to take!)
Ive shown My Friends some of these pic and they completely agree that they are gorgeous
Im stunned at the beauty of these Pics… I agree with Annemarie Voogal. Stunningly Beautiful!
the pictures are very nice
thse are the most adorable pictures i have ever seen OMG!!!!!!
all what have I seen here simply faced the Nature… It is just adorable !
Amazing!! 🙂
OMG REALLY LOVE THE PICS. I AM DOING A PROJECT ON THE WORLD (GEOGRAPHY ) AS USAUL I WAS DOWN IN THE DUMPS BUT WHEN I SAW THIS PICTURE IT PUT THE MOON IN MY NIGHT SKY
P,S WILLL BE COMING TO AUSTRALIA SOON BE SUR TO GO DIVING.
AUSTRALIA YOU ROCK BUT NOT AS MUCH AS SOUTH AFRICA TO SPACIAFIC THE MOTHER CITY CAPE TOWN ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love the shark Leonard low .do you know the shark bites its own tail.Australia is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!